


A Tony Stark Carol

by Insanus Navicularis (DiDive)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Christmas Fluff, Fluff, Gen, Give it a try, Inspired by A Christmas Carol, Irondad, Kid Peter Parker, Parent Tony Stark, Precious Peter Parker, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark-centric, i swear it’s better than it sounds, irondad really, kind of, not really sure how to tag this, the only thing I know how to write, why isn’t Irondad a tag?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-19
Updated: 2018-12-19
Packaged: 2019-09-22 15:10:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17062094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DiDive/pseuds/Insanus%20Navicularis
Summary: Tony Stark has always hated Christmas and always will, nothing is going to make him change his opinion- not Rhodey, not Pepper, not Peter... or that’s what he thought before the night the spirit of his long dead friend, Yinsen, visted him.Inspired by a Christmas Carol but it’s actually really different, Tony isn’t an asshole like Scrooge in the first stave of the book.Warning for swearing. Irondad fluff.“"God, kid... Peter... I'm so sorry, I love you, I really do, I just don't know how to express it sometimes" he told the kid softly, his face scrunched as he refused to start crying once again during that night.“





	A Tony Stark Carol

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! So this isn’t inspired by A Christmas Carol as you might already have figured, it turned out pretty different but I’m glad. Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy!

—————— Stave 1- 'Yinsen's ghost'

Tony had always hated Christmas with all his might, since he was a teenager- hell, since he was a child- he hated Christmas; and no child should hate such festivity.

Years, and years later, he still hated it and everything that came with it. Nothing was going to change it, it was a general truth that Tony Stark and Christmas did not do well together, it was an unspoken rule to leave the man alone in his workshop to sulk on the few days before, throughout, and after Christmas. 

And nobody was going to make him change his mind: Rhodey didn't, Pepper neither, the team of superheroes couldn't either, and Peter Parker was no exception- No matter how much Tony really loved this kid, no matter how much he always went out of is way and his comfort zone to make the kid happy; because no matter what, Tony Stark hated Christmas.

And that's why, on December 23rd, he found himself once again in his workshop, a screwdriver between his teeth as his hands worked perfectly and smoothly on the Hot Rod in front of him.

Until he heard footsteps approaching.

He couldn't think of someone who'd be seeking out for him on Christmas Eve, everyone knew to leave him alone, or he might snap. 

Maybe they were just walking past.

But when the workshop doors opened, he knew it wasn't the case.

"Mr. Stark! Mr. Stark!" he heard the youthful voice shout, and he cringed, forcing himself to take deep breaths, he didn't want to snap at the kid and make him upset.

"Uhh-" he stammered before clearing his dry throat "Kid, right now's not the best moment"

"Merry Christmas, Mr. Stark!" Peter told him, happily approaching his chair before adding quickly "It'll be only a few minutes max, I promise"

"Yeah- Merry Christmas" Tony muttered reluctantly "Don't really know what's merry about it" he murmured under his breath, grumpily, feeling the weight of the holiday deep in his bones.

"Mr. Stark!" the kid exclaimed horrified "It's Christmas! Of course it's merry!"

Right, super hearing, it wasn't meant for the kid to hear that.

"Well, sorry for disappointing you, Underoos, but I don't really like Christmas" he told the kid, he couldn't help himself, he felt his patience growing thin, and Tony didn't want to do something he'll regret in like, a week or so, after his Christmas crisis was over.

"You can't just don't like Christmas, Mr. Stark" Peter said with a frown on his face and Tony took a deep breath.

"I do"

"You won't in my house, I promise" Peter was quick to tell him, a smirk already lacing his lips "That's why I came, wanted to know if you'd like to have a Christmas dinner with my Aunt and I... I mean, I know this year Pepper's away and Rhodey too, and I don't want you to be alone... and it would really mean a lot to me if you came!"

Any other time Tony would have never thought that Peter's rambles were bothering, in fact, he always let the kid ramble as much as he could, he always loved hearing Peter's youthful and exciting voice, reminding him there was still good in the world, and knowing very well what it was like for someone to tell you to stop talking because you're annoying.

But today, only a day away from the dreadful holiday and its spirit already in the air, he couldn't help but grow a little... impatient, annoyed. He just wanted to keep working as if nothing was happening on the outside world.

"Look, Pete" Tony began before the kid could start talking again "I really don't enjoy the holiday and as flattered as I am I won't be going your apartment tomorrow, okay? I just don't like Christmas"

Tony felt a deep and right now forgotten part of him squeeze with a stinging emotion when he saw Peter's face drop, his eyelashes dropping a bit regretfully and the tips of his lips curving downwards. He didn't pay attention to that.

"Mr. Stark, I swear, it'd only be an hour or so and you can leave whenever you want to" Peter argued, his young and naive mind not fully comprehending how someone could hate Christmas, when everything was tinted with happiness and kindness, with hope and belief.

How could someone really hate his holiday? Peter thought to himself. If you were talking about a grumpy old man with no wills to live and with no family... maybe. But this was his mentor, the one who took care of him when he got the flu because May couldn't, the one who had his last Physics test saved next to a photo of them both in his nightstand, the superhero who always wanted the best for everyone. 

How could he hate this holiday?

If it was up to him, Peter would make sure Tony had the best Christmas in his life and, when his mentor walked out of his house on December 25th, he'd love Christmas as much as Peter loved it.

"Peter" Tony's voice was final "I appreciate the offer, but no, thank you" he said through his teeth, feeling his left arm hurting and his eyes throbbing. He couldn't do this.

"Please, just this time" Peter pleaded with his puppy dog eyes, looking up at his mentor with hope.

"No, Peter, I'm sorry" he managed to get out without snapping. This was his kid, this was his kid, he reminded himself, he didn't want to be his father, he didn't want to snap at him.

"Come on, please, Mr. Stark"

In Tony's defense, he thinks he had been doing great: not kicking him out when he first set a foot on the lab, not snapping or talking back at him, and acting like a normal and functional human being; but he had a limit point, and he feared the kid had transgressed that line.

He felt himself snapping, without thinking, at his kid. He'd sure regret it when he went back to a sane state of mind.

"I said no!" he snapped, maybe a bit too loud.

Tony only realized what he had done when he saw Peter's eyes widening and his jaw going slack, his muscles tense with his fight or flight instinct and his face a little too pale for his liking. It was too late to take it back now, and he really wanted to be left alone; he could always apologize later, right...?

"Now, go" he demanded, because that's all he knew, he grew up seeing his father demand things from others and from him- 'If you want something, you demand it, if you want respect you demand it. Make sure they know who's in charge' he had told him one nigh after Tony said he was too rude to Jarvis-, that's all he knew.

Peter looked down with shiny eyes, his hands folding in front of his lap as he walked backward, chin to his chest and his lips trembling.

"I will" he murmured before turning around, he paused at the door "I'm so sorry, Mr. Stark... merry Christmas" 

Before walking away and closing the door behind him.

Tony exhaled a big breath, letting himself fall onto his couch as he felt a lump in his throat and pain behind his eyes. 

"God..." he murmured to himself before adding, as an afterthought "I need a shot... or four"

That night, he went to bed with only a third of his consciousness and a light head.

Tony woke up with cold sweat lacing his forehead and a killing headache, he groaned, trying to get the Advil in his nightstand without having it open his eyes.

Then it occurred to him: he didn't have a nightmare, why was he awake then? He never woke up in the middle of the night after drinking unless he had a nightmare... maybe he had but Tony didn't remember it.

When he found nothing in his nightstand, the billionaire resigned himself to open his eyes.

He wasn't expecting to see someone- rather pale and... was he just seeing his bedroom door throughout the man's abdomen?!- sipping a cup of te, and seeing him sleep with a peaceful expression.

"What the-!" he said loudly, jumping a bit in his bed as he woke up completely. Terror but determination was clear in his face as he extended his arm to call an Ironman armour.

Tony looked around, he was still in his bedroom, the clock said it was... twelve at night. Did he slept through the day? He clearly remembered going to sleep last night at three o'clock, what the hell happened to him?!

Just when the gauntlet was formed around his hand and charging, the figure moved, his face became unbearable clear as Tony felt his eyes widen.

"Yin... Yin...sen?" he stuttered out, his mind couldn't wrap around the situation. Why was this dead man- he has been dead for seven years and there wasn't a doubt in that- standing in his room and looking like... a ghost. A ghost.

The man's eyes were soft and his smile welcoming when he replied with as much serenity as before "Glad to know you still remember me, Stark" although the use of his last name, there wasn't any rencor in his voice, neither any malice.

"God. Oh god" Tony murmured to himself as he quickly backed up against the wall, the gauntlet still in hand "I'm... dead? Crazy? No, no. What the fuck?!"

Yinsen rolled his eyes "You aren't crazy or dead, Stark. Which- I might add- it's quite the achievement considering your life"

Tony didn't pay any attention to the comment, letting it slip "This is the alcohol. Yeah, I knew I shouldn't have drank that much tonight. Now I'm seeing things. My brain is messing with me"

"I'm afraid not" the ghost of Yinsen replied with a frown "I'm very real right now"

"No" Tony argued, big and afraid eyes staring at the spot on Yinsen's tummy where he could see his door through it "You are not"

The man smiled sadly at Tony "I am"

"No! I'm a scientist, ghosts doesn't exist. I don't believe in them"

Yinsen sighed "I am real, Stark" he argued, always so stubborn "And I'm here because..." he cut himself off as Tony stood up and walked unsteadily to his drawer, avoiding the ghost on purpose, taking the glass of water, which resides there since the weekend, and gulping it down in seconds.

"I thought I told you not to waste your life, Tony..." Yinsen said mucho more softer, a pained and sympathetic expression on his face.

"I... I'm not" Tony breathed out, still dazed.

"What do you call..." he gestured to the room in general "this, then?"

"I... I-" Tony was cut off by the seemingly ghost.

"You'll see three ghosts during the three next nights: the first two at one, the last at twelve. I hope they can make you see what you're missing out in Christmas"

"What?" Tony managed to get out before everything went black.

—————— Stave 2- 'The first of the three spirits'

When he woke up again he looked around fearfully, memories of Yinsen and something about ghosts lingering in his mind as he looked around frantically to catch a glimpse of what he had seen.

Nothing. There was nothing.

He sighed, relief filling his body as sunk down the blankets once again. Tony wasn't crazy, or dead, he was sure- he also was sure that he wasn't going to drink again before sleeping-

He waited with his eyes closed for some time, maybe fifteen minutes before something happened.

The billionaire opened his eyes again- he was nearly falling asleep- when he felt... something, he wasn't sure what, but something made him want to open his eyes- And he did.

"Uh- He's not dead, good" and Tony shouted, a face too close to his face to be comfortable greeting him.

"What? What?" he asked himself again, first Yinsen and then this... what the hell?! 

"Sorry! Sorry!" the... thing? Person? Ghost? Apologized as she moved back to stand at the feet of his bed; looking at her closely he could see the same faint glow and... transparency, that Yinsen had once had- when he woke up to him-

"What-?! How?! What or who are you? I'm crazy, I must be, right?" Tony mumbled the last part to himself, putting a hand to his forehead, maybe he had a fever and was hallucinating because of it.

"You're not crazy, Tony. I'm Ghost Of Christmas Past, and I'd prefer it if I was a 'Who' rather than a 'What'" the... woman? Told him, too happy and enthusiastic to be the ghost of someone dead.

"Oh- Yeah. Because that makes so much sense"

"Yes, it does, doesn't it?" the small and smiley woman told him with a dreamy look, not a trace of sarcasm in her high pitched voice.

"Okay..." Tony nodded slowly, thinking that maybe if he closed his eyes it would go away- But it didn't.

"Oh! Yeah! Back in track... take my hand" she extended her pale and transparent hand towards him, and Tony looked at it doubtfully before moving further away form it.

The woman rolled his eyes before taking his hand herself "Have they ever told you that you need to be more trustful?"

Tony didn't answer the question, he froze, the great Tony Stark was frozen in place, pale as a sheet. 

The woman put a hand to his heart and just when he was about to make a comment about 'Woah- Take me on a date first-', something happened.

He saw the clock in his nightstand: 1.05 am.

Suddenly his stomach made a flip and he saw colors and heard too much voices at the same time- he looked around, trying to spot the sources of said voices, but he couldn't, and suddenly he felt like he should be in a mental hospital-, then... darkness and silence before a scene started to form around them softly.

In the scene, he saw a little kid under the Christmas tree clutching a teddy bear to his chest, the bear still had the wrapping around one of its legs and it was a gray-ish color. There was a friendly fireplace a few feet away, some socks hanging from the chimney.

The scene could easily have been a happy and domestic one- gotten out of Christmas commercials from the TV-, but the tears running slowly down the boy's cheeks and the shouts from the married couple of the next room prevented it from being happy nor domestic.

He was seven... Tony remembered that Christmas as clear as water, he still remembered how the teddy bear felt crushed in his arms. He thinks he still has the bear somewhere, he never got attached to a plushy, but this had been different, and he remembered long and lonely nights at MIT clutching the teddy to his chest.

"He's too old!" Tony heard his father shouting and a hand being slammed down a wooden surface.

"He's a kid, Howard! I can't believe you" his mothers softer voice wasn't heard as clearly as his father's shouts.

"He's seven, Maria" Tony remember how Howard had argued "He's too old to believe in Santa! He's too old for Christmas. He's disappointing, at his age I already knew Santa wasn't real! I wasn't fooling around!"

"He has all his life ahead of him, let him be a kid while he still can" Maria pleaded, his voice soft, just like his father and Tony himself always loved about her "Please, just this year"

Howard had succumbed to his wife's charm and agreed, but it was too late, young Tony had heard everything, and his father's words stuck with him for all his life. 'He's disappointing' 'At his age I was...' that time, at the young age of seven, he swore to himself to not expect anything from Christmas ever again.

"Oh..." the ghost said with hands over her heart shaped lips "You were a little boy back then, too little to decide Christmas was a waste of time"

Tony scoffed, trying to not look bothered by the fact that, yeah, it was true- he hadn't realized that before, but right now, he knew he had been too little; right now he had a sense of what was young and old, mostly thanks to a Spiderkid who was always deciding he was old when he was young.

He tried to not let it get to him, but his clenched fists and jaw gave him away, he never wanted this, he wanted a normal childhood, the normal innocence in his young self, the normal playfulness of a kid, but he couldn't have any of it.

"Well, it is" Tony argued back, because sulking wouldn't change anything.

The ghost looked at him intently with her green eyes before shaking her head, and the scene changed.

This time it was the next year's Christmas, it showed him waking up and dressing like nothing happened. He walked inside the kitchen and greeted his mom like always, a kiss on her cheek, and his dad like he had suggested he should do, a nod of his little head.

The scene showed Maria looking at her boy expectantly and confused, last year Tony had been just too eager for Christmas, going around the house and wishing a merry Christmas to whoever was there. He had put on a festive sweater and asked his mom when the Christmas dinner would be; but this year he acted as if nothing was happening.

"You okay, bambino?" his mother asked him and Tony nodded.

"Yes, why, mom?" 

Howard was looking the interact with interest over his newspaper, Maria directed him a meaningful look before talking sweetly to her kid.

"Today's Christmas, Tony!" she said cheerfully, clapping her hands in front of his face jokingly; and in that moment Tony remember almost crumbling, but he had looked at his father and decided he wanted to make him proud.

"Yeah, and?" the little boy asked as he pinched his pancake.

"You love Christmas, sweetie" she explained kindly, fear growing inside the woman.

"I don't, it's a waste of time" he replied and beamed when his father laughed and clapped his back, agreeing with him.

"Can they... Are they able to see us?" he murmured to the ghost, feeling his eyes watering at the sight of his mom, and not only him mother but the sight of his young self- now he understood how young he had really been back there, only eight years old- acting like that.

He had really screwed up his childhood, hasn't him? It wasn't his father's fault or anyone's but his. He really did this to himself.

"No, nobody's able to see you as long as you're with me" she replied in an equal hushed voice.

He nodded before walking towards the breakfast table, were the scene was still playing, showing them eating peacefully as his mom looked uneasy.

"God" he choked, finally letting his tears fall "Mom. Mom. Mom" he repeated again and again as he tried to touch his mother.

The ghost just looked from the door without interrupting.

He stood there for a few minutes, marveling at his mother, this was no different from his BARF invention- his invention was maybe better- but this moment had something special to it, something... alive.

Finally the scene changed once again, and he wished it hadn't.

They looked at himself, his teenager self, passed out on the couch, tears running down his cheeks even in sleep as he moved and trashed around. He looked horrible and Tony remembered clearly which Christmas this was.

"No" he shook his head, refusing to be here "I don't- I want to go"

"I'm sorry, but I have to show you this, after it's over we'll move on" the once cheerful woman looked at him sadly, offering a watery smile.

His tears started again even before his younger self woke up to the sound of Christmas carols.

His teenage self face crumbled in pain as he stood up, only to be replaced with anger when he reached the door and saw a bunch of servants walking around with smiles on their faces as the living room looked like Rudolph had thrown up there.

Colorful lights and decorations were scattered everywhere and the tree was tall and full of life. Presents were under it as Obadiah shouted orders.

"What the fuck is happening here?!" Tony demanded, his voice booming over the Christmas carol that was blasted through the speakers, he made sure to let his anger linger every inch of his voice.

"Tony!" Obadiah said and the older Tony felt the urge to smack Obadiah as the man approached his younger self and wrapped an arm around him "I'm just decorating for Christmas"

"And why would you do that?!" Obadiah was taken aback by the boy's question "You all stop doing this, instead go and clean everything up" the teenager said, directing his voice towards the servants who looked confused at Obadiah.

The man sighed and nodded to them.

Tony hated how everyone was so happy that Christmas, how everyone decided to decorate everything with colorful and shiny things as if his parents hadn't died a few days before. He hated that a so happy holiday was taking place when his world was crumbling. And that day, was the day he definitely decided he hated Christmas with all his heart. He bowed to never celebrate this holiday, ever.

Then, older Tony found himself in his room, the Ghost Of Christmas Past next to his bed.

"Wait for the next" she said and then waved happily "Bye! Nice to meet you!"

He didn't remember anything else.

—————— Stave 3- 'The second of the three spirits'

When Tony woke up, thank godness, he didn't find a too cheerful face inches away from his own, instead he found another woman, sitting in a recliner he doesn't know where she got it from and eating all kinds of different fruits, it looked like she had a feast in his bedroom.

He didn't know what he was expecting to see when he woke up, but he thought- with a little fear- that he was becoming accustomed to waking up to ghosts waiting for him.

He looked at the clock: 1.37 am.

What did Yinsen said? He tried to remember, but during their conversation he was still in denial and a little bit of alcohol still lingered in his brain, making it hard to recall what the man had told him.

Something about three nights...

"Good, you're awake" the woman, who looked way less childish than the first one, stood up and Tony had to make a double take when he saw the recliner and the food... disappearing.

"What...? Again?" he found himself asking, feeling like he was in his first class of trigonometry when he was five.

The woman gave him a soft and professional smirk "Yeah, I'm afraid" she extended her hand towards the billionaire and Tony didn't back away this time; he didn't reach for it either, doubt and hesitance still in his features "I'm Ghost Of Christmas Present"

Tony nodded "Tony Stark, but I have the feeling you already knew that"

Tony looked at the tall woman with a raised eyebrow, waiting for something to happen, just like the last time. Maybe seeing himself or some shit like that; he realized, in that moment, that he wasn't a fan of traveling through time and space with some Christmas ghosts.

She gave the man an apologizing smile before agreeing "Ready?" she asked him patiently, extending her hand for him to take.

"And I'm guessing you're... what? Showing me this year's Christmas?" Tony rolled his eyes, the typical Stark sass in his voice but he was still looking around hesitantly... with fear.

The woman nodded, the crown of plants placed in her head bobbling slightly.

Tony remember something he heard a comedian say in one of his lot of parties: 'You know those days when you're like: this might as well happen?'

So he took the ghost's hand, wanting to get this over as soon as possible; maybe he had slept Christmas away and something could actually be for his benefit in this... paranormal visits.

He felt a deep and buried part of himself sting with something resembling regret when he thought about that possibility- the possibility of sleeping Christmas away-. He always hated Christmas, and he always will, so why was he feeling like this? Why was he feeling like he failed Peter? Or disappointed him?

This time there was nothing, no voices, neither colorful lights or a flip of his stomach; just a wave of air hitting his face to warn him that something had happened, and suddenly he was soaring through buildings in New York next to the tanned and serious but kind ghost woman.

He thought that after traveling back in time- was that considering time travel? What did they exactly do?-, and meeting his long dead friend who sacrificed himself for him, nothing would surprise him, but it didn't look like it anymore as he went through the buildings walls as if they were nothing but a hologram and flew in the cold Christmas night.

He looked down, mesmerized.

"How... How?" he just settled for asking after a bit of hesitance, he was a scientist, he wanted to know the physics behind this, so it was understandable that he was a bit annoyed when the Ghost Of Christmas Present shrugged and answered with a short 'Magic'

"Now we'll slow down a bit" the brunette said to him, they had been traveling- wherever they were going- rather quickly, he never was able to see the inside of the buildings or more than a blur of different colors, but as they slowed down he could see different scenes as they moved from room to room through buildings- Which he suspected was a big invasion of privacy.

During all of their 'visits' to the buildings, the woman threw something at the people in there- He noticed it made them happier.

A little boy, a dog and an old woman- Grandma, maybe?- cuddled on the couch together, in front of the fireplace and with steaming mugs of something warm in their hands, two little presents in the coffee table in front of them.

A young couple of a girl and a boy sharing a kiss under the mistletoe as two little kids made odd faces at them as an adult scolded them. There were plenty of presents under the tree and a cat huddled on the couch's cushions.

Two married men sharing the couch as they looked at some cartoon with their little girl cuddle between them; fairy lights everywhere and a batch of fresh cookies and milk under the tree, where there wasn't any present yet- Waiting for Santa probably.

An old woman sitting in a couch meant for two next to the tree, a thick book in hands as a Christmas movie played on the TV and a framed picture of an old man sat besides the woman.

And almost fourteen people together signing a carol to a big family, some stray dog walking happily with them as the kid's of the family threw him a cookie to eat.

All the scenes were nice and comforting, he surprised himself with the longing feeling he got as he looked at them. The desire, the need, of something as nice and warm in his life.

He already had it, he realized as a sharp pain stabbed his chest, he could have had it but he messed things up and now the only family he had might hate him. God, the kid- his kid-

"Isn't it nice?" the woman asked with melancholy "Everybody sharing with loved ones this holiday. That's the thing I like most of Christmas, the family"

Tony didn't know why she said that, if it was only a comment or it was meant to get to him, either way he felt bad. And he fought back the urge to snap at her.

They were nearing a too familiar town to be coincidence, and Tony felt himself lit up when he realized where they were going, but at the same time dread filled hi body. What was she going to show him?

"That's my kid's apartment" he mumbled when the ghost lead him to the familiar and comforting apartment in Queens.

"I know" her smiled was big and white as she flew past the wall which separated them and whoever was inside.

He was apprehensive as he followed the ghost, wasn't this an invasion of privacy?- he hasn't really cared before, but this was Peter and probably his aunt, he knew them-

"They couldn't see us, right?" Tony wanted to be sure one more time before entering the same room Peter and May were in.

"No, they can't"

Tony nodded and stepped inside the living room of the Parker's house. It looked like Santa threw up everywhere, but in a good way, it was warm, domestic, and comforting... it was nice.

There was a small fireplace lit up in the corner of the room, the tree shone with kind and dim lights, garlands and two socks hanging from the small chimney. Love was hanging everywhere and Tony thought that it was just too easy to forget about every problem from the outside world inside here.

Peter was using an awful Christmas sweater, Tony snickered when he got a glimpse at what it said. A terrible Santa drawing in the chest as in the bottom part you could read 'Hydroxide, hydroxide, hydroxide. Merry Christmas'

May was using a Rudolph one, he noted when the woman came inside and sat besides the kid, a somewhat pitying look in her face as she put her hand under the boy's chin. Only then Tony realized how Peter was truly looking, his head a bit tilted- his eyes still with their usual brightness- but also his lips formed a thin line.

What happened to his boy?

Tony silently saw the scene unfold, worrying lacing his features.

"Hey, it's Christmas! Don't be sad" she smiled encouragingly at him and Peter gave her a faint smile and a nod "I'm sure he didn't mean to do that, he loves you, Peter"

Peter only nodded and clutched a present in his hands tighter, it was wrapped clumsily, but it was charming still.

"Although, if you'd like I can still go and kick his ass, you only have to ask" Aunt May reminded the kid, earning a small chuckle from him.

"No- Don't do that" Peter pleaded her "It wasn't his fault, I was being annoying, I should've backed down the first time he declined"

A puff of air left Tony's lungs in a rush as he felt his chest tightening... they were talking about him, he had made the kid upset, in Christmas! He truly was the worst, wasn't him? What kind of mentor- of father figure- made their kid sad on Christmas?

Tony shook his head, regretting ever decision he had ever made.

"I didn't mean to make him upset" he mumbled at the Ghost Of Christmas Present, who smiled sadly at him.

"I know, he's going to need a reminder though" she advised, pointing at Peter.

"You can still give him the gift- The next time you go to the lab, you can" they both heard May's voice again.

Tony peeked curiously at the present, only now starting to notice the card that came with it, he couldn't read what it said inside, but outside, with big and a little awkward letters, you could read 'To: Tony, Mr. Stark. From: Peter, Underoos'

His heart swelled, and if he didn't know about biology any better he would have wondered if it was possible for it to crush his chest. The gift was for him. Peter even got him a gift. 

God, this kid, he only wanted to spend Christmas with Tony, and what did he do? He pushed him away, and just like always, it wasn't anybody's fault but his.

"Yeah... I don't know" Peter mumbled before setting the gift under the tree and walking more animatedly towards his aunt, a big grin on his face "Well, what do you say, dinner and then Christmas movies 'til the fireworks?"

May laughed heartedly "Of course, Peter"

And like that, they both sat in the too big table for only the two of them, a nice and warm dinner on the table as Peter told May some stories of his school and they both laughed.

"He's a good kid" the woman ghost commented, looking with interest the scene.

Tony scoffed "As if I don't know that. He's the best"

"And you still pushed him away?" she asked, but there was no malice in her voice as her tanned hand moved to his shoulder "Don't worry, I understand, but you might think better about your actions next time"

Tony just nodded, refusing to believe the spirit of a woman was scolding him on Christmas, no matter how much he knew she was right: he fucked up.

"You know, he was hoping you filled the space his uncle left on the table" she told him with the softest look he has seen in a while, and Tony felt like all those things his father told him he was: pathetic, a disappointment, dumb.

He was a bad person. He felt like it, at least.

"God" he murmured, not being able to get his eyes off his kid as he laughed with his aunt "I love him, I really do, I just wish I was better- Something he does deserves"

"You are good" the ghost reassured "You just mess things up from time to time, we all do, but what really matters is how we decide to fix those mistakes"

"Yeah... I just don't know how to fix this" he put his face in his hands, shaking his head regretfully.

The woman just gave him a sympathetic look, and when she didn't say anything else, he gestured towards Peter.

"Can I?" Tony asked.

"Of course"

Tony moved towards his kid, feeling strange at being there but not really being, and he sat down in the empty chair next to Peter. He put a hand on the kid's shoulders, surprising himself when it didn't went straight through the kid.

"God, kid... Peter... I'm so sorry, I love you, I really do, I just don't know how to express it sometimes" he told the kid softly, his face scrunched as he refused to start crying once again during that night.

He was startled when Peter looked around, jumping a bit in the chair, as the kid kept looking for.. something, he didn't know what.

He recognized the signs almost instantly, the uncomfortable scratching at the back of his kid's neck, the frantic looking around, and the jittery mess the kid became when his spider senses flared. He found himself scanning the room for something out of the ordinary for a few minutes, the only thing he found was the Ghost Of Christmas Present and himself.

He walked away, and that's when Peter calmed down.

The woman walked to them and he saw Peter, once again, become nervous. The Ghost threw something at them and they started to laugh happily as May finished her story.

"What's that?" Tony couldn't help but be a bit protective.

"I'll see you around, Tony" the woman waved, without responding "Wait for the next" she had said once they were back in his room, and as the last time, he couldn't remember anything else.

—————— Stave 4- 'The last of the spirits'

When he woke up again, he was practically waiting to find some crazy woman ghost to lead him somewhere. What he wasn't expecting was that said woman ghost would be a girl in her twenties who always looked like she was frowning.

The... girl- woman?- was leaning on one of his walls, a cellphone in hand as she scrolled through it with an indifferent look, she was chewing a gum and looked like she was passing through an empty phase.

He looked at the clock: 12.16 am

"Ahem" Tony cleared his throat when after a minute she didn't look up, when she did, black piercing eyes met his, and she scoffed.

"You awake. Good. Come on, I have places I need to be, let's get this over with" she walked towards him and extended her hand.

"Yeah? Where? You're a ghost" he sassed back, a challenging look on his face.

"Bold of you to assume we don't have a life either" she replied with a bored tone as her manicured hands made a 'grabbing' gesture "FYI, I'm here against my will, don't make it harder, sweetie. Now come on, before New Year, please"

Tony wanted so bad to talk back and roll his eyes, he wasn't going to let someone that isn't even alive talk to him like that, but on the other hand, she was a ghost, and as brave as he was, he wasn't going to make her mad. What if she vaporized everything?

He took her hand, and before he could say or do anything else, he felt the same flip in his stomach, heard the same voices and saw the same colors as the first time. Then, a scene was forming before he could process what was happening.

"Who- Who are you?" Tony didn't know why he was out of breath, but he felt like his lungs couldn't receive enough air.

"Aren't you supposed to be a genius?" the ghost  retorted, walking- flying?- towards a couch, which he recognized to be the one in his lab "I'm Ghost Of Christmas Yet To Come"

"Wasn't it easier to be Ghost Of Christmas Future...?" he mumbled under his breath as he saw himself in his workshop, music was being blared through FRIDAY's speaker and he was tinkering with something he didn't recognize.

"Tony! Tony!" Peter shouted as he entered the lab, he looked older, but only because Tony knew him better than the back of his hand.

Tony smiled, they finally were in the first name stage. Thank god.

The older Tony looked at Peter and greeted him with a short "Hey, Pete, need anything?"

"Just wanted to know if you'd like to have Christmas dinner with May and I" the kid looked at him through hopeful eyelashes.

"Sorry, I don't like Christmas, Underoos"

Peter nodded and left with a quiet 'Merry Christmas'

It faded, and a different scene was shown.

They were both a bit older than in the first, but that was not what surprised Tony the most, it was what Peer called him.

"Dad! Dad! Dad! Dad!" Peter called happily as he skipped inside the lab.

Tony's eyes sparkled and he looked at the girl for confirmation, a wide smile already forming in his face as his chest warmed.

"Don't overreact, come on, you've been his dad since you decided to let him in your workshop. It only took him some time to realize it" the ghost rolled her eyes as she looked down at her phone again.

"Peter! Peter!" older Tony echoed as he got his eyes off the device "What do you need, kid?"

"Would you like to have Christmas dinner with May and I?" he asked with a childish grin, which was quickly wiped off when Tony answered.

"Sorry, I don't like Christmas, kiddo"

Peter nodded and left with a 'Merry Christmas, Dad'

And in the next few minutes Tony found himself looking at exactly the same scene, the only difference? As each scene passed, they both looked older and older.

Then, it showed an old Tony alone in his workshop, no visit from Peter this time, and the scenes continued to unfold like that, showing Tony age.

Tony looked confused to the Ghost Of Christmas Yet To Come.

"He stopped trying to get to you on Christmas after... like, six years, I think" she explained, and even the unfriendly girl ghost gave him a sympathetic look after that.

He felt his chest clench at the revelation, gripping his left wrist as hard as he could to try and stop the stinging sensation behind his eyes. 

His kid... Peter, the one who'll call him 'Dad'... Tony even managed to push him away. How bad was him to be able to push that kid away? The kid who looked at him like he hung every start in the galaxy only for him? He really messed up this time, he really did. 

He did this to himself, not his father, not Obadiah, not Christmas. Himself. Tony.

He managed to shut down the brightest thing in his life, this was all his fault. They were right when they said Tony Stark couldn't manage to love anyone but himself, that he was an egocentric bastard that didn't care for anyone and if someone tried to reach him he scared them away. 

"You fucked up big time" the ghost commented, walking towards him. 

He was going to said an snarky reply about how useful her comment was, but she cut him off, and maybe that was for the best, because he didn't think he'd be able to talk without breaking down.

"But you can change it, all of this. Just try not to mess things up again because we might not be able to help, yeah?"

Tony nodded and took the girl's hand when she offered it. Then they were back in his room again, Tony in his bed as the rest of the ghosts appeared.

"When... When are we?" he stuttered to the ghosts "I- I want to-" change, he was going to say, but he had too much pride to admit that "- to go back to my kid"

"You can" the Ghost Of Christmas Present assures him "You will"

"Remember to take the rights decision this time" the first ghost said, smiling brightly at him.

"The past can hurt. But from the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it" the first ghost added then- the Ghost Of Christmas Past- and Tony wondered why the phrase sounded familiar.

"Remember, you're the one who can fill the world with sunshine" the Ghost Of Christmas Present said, and before Tony could question the origin of that phrase, she added "Or at least Peter's world"

"I don't want to do this" grumbled the Ghost Of Christmas Yet To Come, but at the glare she received from the Ghost Of Christmas Past, she added "You control your destiny- You don't need magic to do it. And there are no magical shortcuts to solving your problems"

"Wait- Are- Are you guys quoting Disney movies?!" Tony exclaimed, incredulous.

Were this women quoting movies for children to him while scolding him at the same time?! Just when he thought the night couldn't become any rarer.

The Ghost Of Christmas Present smiled at him with her motherly smile "Sleep" she murmured, and everything went black.

 

—————— Stave 4- 'The end of the story'

Tony woke up suddenly, no sunshine light peeking from the window, no birds chirping to wake him, no one at his side hugging him. 

But, although his not so nice wake up, he felt a growing excitement and happiness at the thought of starting the day; with the Ghosts visiting him, he felt like he'd been living in the dark for days now, and it was nice seeing the sun once again.

Then it hit him.

"FRI?" he asked, tentatively.

"Yes, Boss?"

"What day is it?" he looked at his nightstand while he asked, at his clock: 10 am. Not a so bad hour to start the day.

"December 24th, Boss" she replied, her robot voice- if it could- seeming a bit wary.

"They did it..." he murmured "The Ghost did it in only a night! Of course they did..." he was blabbering to himself things alike as he dressed up "I still have time! I'm not missing Christmas!"

Tony went to the common room, where he found the team- minus Rhodey and Sam- alongside Clint's family. They were all laughing and having breakfast, a tree in the furthest corner of the room.

To say they were surprised to see him there was an understatement, they were freaking speechless, astonished, as they looked at the billionaire with big eyes and slack jaws.

It wasn't like Tony to show his face outside his lab in a day that was practically Christmas.

"Uhh- Hey, Tony! How're you?" Steve finally asked, clearing his throat.

"Fantastic!" in true Stark fashion, though, he didn't explain any further, taking a seat and starting to eat breakfast.

He had some presents to buy for his Spiderkid today... and Clint's family, he added in his mental list.

He had a call to make, too.

Tony excused himself and left the room, going straight to his garage to find the best shop for presents for his kid. Once inside the car, he commanded FRIDAY to call said kid.

After the third ring, Peter answered.

"Uh- Uh- He... Hey, Mr. Stark!" Peter greeted, nervous, but he still could hear the always present optimism and faith in his voice- maybe he hadn't screwed up so bad-

"Hey, kid" Tony replied softly, working the courage to keep talking as a somewhat awkward silence filled the line.

"So... Uh- Why're you calling?"

"Right..." he mumbled to himself "I... I just wanted to... to apologize. I'm really sorry about yesterday, I had had some rough days and I took it out on you and that was a really shitty move for my part, I'm sorry, kid, I really am"

"Don't... Don't worry! I understand, really, I also should have left you alone when you told me you didn't want to the first three times..." his kid said quickly, ashamed at his behavior and reassuring his mentor.

"No. It's not your fault and it doesn't excuse what I did, I'm sorry, Peter"

"I'm not mad, but if it makes you feel better: I forgive you" Peter told him and, god, what did he do to deserve this kid? He was just so good and kind, he deserved someone a lot better than Tony. 

Yeah, Tony decided, maybe he did deserve someone better, but if this kid kept him, how bad could he really be?

"And... if that offer is still standing, I'd like to have a place in your and May's table tonight, Underoos" he added, hoping he wasn't overstepping a line or inviting himself.

"Wait- Really?" Tony could literally feel Peter's eyes widening and his smile.

"Of course, I'd be honored... you mean a lot to me"

"Oh my god! Yes! Of course, Mr. Stark! Thank you, thank you, thank you. You won't regret it" the kid promised with an animated voice, he imagined the kid's head nodding so quickly that his curls fell over his eyes.

"I know I won't" Tony reassured, the kid practically beaming "Thank you, kid. What time should I be there?"

"We usually start eating at 9 pm. So a bit before that; then we watch Christmas movies until 12, when we go to the roof to watch the fireworks"

"Sounds like a plan. I'll be there at 8.45 pm with a nice dessert, okay?" Tony promised, stopping in front of a store, redirecting the call to his phone, and entering.

"Yes! You don't have to bring anything though, Mr. Stark" Peter told him, his words a little slurred from how quickly they were said, too excited.

"Bah!" Tony said "Humbug! Of course I'll bring desert... and some gifts Santa left under the tower's tree with your name" he smirked as he looked through the store, buying literally anything he suspected Clint's family- Lila, Cooper, And little Nathaniel- or Peter would like.

"Mr. Stark" Peter grumbled, stretching the 'a' as he whined "You don't have to"

"What? Me?! Of course I don't have to do anything, and I didn't" Tony responded dramatically, playing dumb "It was all Santa's work, you aren't going to fight Santa, are you?"

"I wouldn't dare" the sarcasm in the kid's voice could rival Tony's own, and he was sure the kid learned it from him.

"That's what I thought"

"Yeah-Yeah"

Tony smiled fondly, his voice softening "Bye, Underoos" then, after some seconds of working up the courage and hearing the kid said goodbye to him, he said "Merry Christmas... I love you"

He didn't hear a response, Tony cut off the call too quickly, but somewhere in Queens a stunned and jovial teenager was murmuring an 'I love you too' through a phone.

The clock hit 8.47 and Tony knocked on the Parker's house door, casual dressing- he remember the Ghost Of Christmas Present showed him a Peter and May not too dressed up for the holiday, so he didn't wear the usual three piece suit for this kind of event-, and a dessert and champagne in his hands- the gifts were still in the car, he had a pretty guess that Peter didn't believe in Santa, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to humor the kid-

Tony chuckled when he heard excited and quickly footsteps approaching the door, then it swung open to reveal Peter with his awful- not awful at all- Christmas sweater.

"Mr. Stark!" Peter jumped and, before he could even reply, the kid was clinging to his torso in a hug, pressing his smiley face against his shoulder. 

Tony chuckled fondly again and wrapped his arms around the kid as good as he could with a cake and a champagne in his hands.

He patted the kid's hair with smile and, when May appeared, he smiled and waved at her.

"Let the man breathe, Peter" she laughed lightly.

Peter got off his mentor with a blush, but he still took Tony's hand in his and dragged him towards the living room with childlike happiness.

"Nice sweaters you both" Tony commented with amusement as Peter and May rolled their eyes.

"It's great and you know it, Mr. Stark"

Then, the kid kept dragging him.

"Thank for inviting me, May" he thanked the woman politely as they passed her.

"No problem, Tony" then she added, whispering "You mean a lot to him"

Peter blushed harder, hearing the woman with his super hearing, but otherwise Tony saw the kid didn't acknowledged the fact, so he didn't either.

"We've got something for you" Peter told him as he entered his bedroom, smirking mischievously at his mentor, Tony raised an eyebrow when Peter disappeared inside his room and May shouted from the kitchen.

"No- Don't use plural, Peter" she commented, a smile in her voice "This was all your doing"

Before Tony could ask, because he was really curious now, Peter came back with something fluffy and green in his hands, waving it around like a flag.

The kid shoved it into Tony's hands.

"A... sweater?" he noted and, as he looked at it closer, he found a joke like the one on kid's sweater: awfully good. 'During Christmas, I always put up my Chemistree' and a Christmas tree made out of the periodic table was knitted under the inscription.

It was so bad that it was actually good.

"Oh, god" Tony groaned, facepalming and feigning annoyance, but a small smile was on his face as he ruffled the kid's hair fondly before shoving him gently "You nerd"

Peter snorted "You're the nerd"

"Let's just agree you both are nerds" Tony heard May interjecting from the kitchen, who was smiling at the duo's teasing.

"Watch it, Mrs. Parker, I might go back to my tower if I get offended" Tony replied with fake seriousness.

"As if" she replied.

And with that the night started, between laughs, different stories, dinner not so burnt by May and Tony's dessert. Peter laughed heartedly, and May smiled at seeing the teen so happy, she knew Tony meant a lot to him, but she had never had the pleasure to see their interactions before but for some shorts periods of time.

Tony was just so glad he came.

Tony had takes a seat on Peter's left as May sat in front of Peter with a comfortable and excited smile; the smile you can only see on Christmas, when generosity and kindness were in the air, and everyone was with their family and loved ones, sharing a good moment. 

And, although Tony wouldn't consider himself May's family, he considered himself Peter's; he managed to see right through May's facade, she wasn't his fan, he knew it since the begging, but Peter liked him and it was enough for the woman to try and like him too.

During the movie marathon, Peter fell asleep and, to be honest, this didn't surprise Tony at all, he had known the kid long enough to know he fell asleep during this kind of things.

Peter had currently snuggled into his side, face relaxed in the crook of Tony's neck, a hand clinging loosely at the billionaire's sweater, and soft puffs of air left his mouth from time to time in form of contented sighs, tickling the man's neck. Tony couldn't help but involuntarily wrap an arm around the kid's shoulders out of muscle memory alone.

He smiled at the kid. Then, he heard a sound coming from May's place on the couch.

He looked up confused to see May holding her phone in front of her face, aiming at the duo.

When she caught him looking, May have him a 'sorry not sorry' look before cooing teasingly "It's too adorable"

Tony rolled his eyes "Send me the picture, will you? Or, you know, I'll have to hack into that phone to get it"

"I'll send it" she promised before softening her eyes "Thank you, you really mean a lot to him"

"And he means a lot to me, May" he responded with a soft smile in his lips, his eyes crinkled with that parental look as he looked at the kid tucked under his arm, starting to run his hands through the kid's brown curls, scratching softly his scalp and untangling the knots he found.

"You're good to him" 

"I hope" he just said, hesitance in his voice, but before she could say anything else, he added "I've got some presents in the car. Pretty sure he doesn't believe in Santa anymore, but I didn't want to risk it"

"He doesn't" May laughed "He just pretends that he does, I don't really know if it's for his or my own good"

"I'll try to sneak them in when he isn't looking"

She just smiled "We- Ben and I- used to do it when he went outside to look at the fireworks, one of us would say we had something to do here and the other would go with him, the one who stayed set up the presents" she explained with melancholy in her voice and he recognized the longing in her eyes, the hurt which hid underneath her happy tone. He softened his eyes.

"I can take care of the presents today if you'd like, I've got some tricks up my sleeve" he winked and she shook her head, looking at Peter.

"Okay..."

And that night after the fireworks were over and the trio entered the house with flushed nose and cheeks, Peter shivering a bit, they found a tree full of presents underneath.

Tony looked at Peter, priding himself on not only Peter's, but May's too, surprise.

"Wha- How?" Peter asked, jaw slack and eyes wide, then he added, looking at both adults "You didn't have to"

"Have to what?" Tony asked quickly, a smirk on his face as he feigned innocence "We didn't do anything, right May?"

"That's right, Tony" she played along.

Tony laughed at Peter's suspicious face directed at them, and he decided to play another card.

"We both were up there with you the whole time, you know it" he told him, and it was right, this time no excuses were made for someone to stay to put the presents under the tree, both of the adults stayed up there the whole time... that didn't mean Tony didn't do anything else.

"Okay..." the kid said suspiciously.

"Come on, open them, sweetie" May prompted him, and the kid obliged happily.

Tony pressed the button to send back the Ironman armour to the tower, this time it flew without any presents in its metal arms. He smiled triumphantly.

After al the presents were open and a ton of 'thank you's were said, still one present weighed down on Tony's conscience.

He was waiting for the best time to give it to Peter, but the kid himself gave him the opportunity.

"Peter..." May said with a warning tone "Didn't you have something you wanted to give Mr. Stark?"

Peter's face flushed instantly, his cheeks reddening and Tony laughed fondly.

"You had something for me?" he asked him, prompting the kid to do what he had to do.

Peter nodded a bit too quickly before disappearing into his room; after a bit, he came back and signaled Tony to follow him. The billionaire obliged, grabbing one last present from where it was hiding in his coat.

When he entered the messy room, he sat down at the kid's bed.

He watched as Peter grabbed the same messily wrapped present he had seen the night before and extended it to him without any words, his face still as red as a tomato and his demeanor jittery.

Tony smiled softly to reassure him before grabbing the present with the care he'd grab one of his bots.

He admired once again the card, decorated with different doodles from the kid.

'From: Peter, Underoos  
To: Tony, Mr. Stark'

He was going to read the letter but decided against it, saving it for latter. The present was a bit square and even bigger than he remembered, almost like a book a bit bigger than normal.

He unwrapped the present kindly, not tearing the envelope, and his chest instantly filled with something warm, and protective, and proud, and nice, and... love, it filled with love and adoration for this brown curled kid in front of him.

"It's... amazing" he prided the kid, still in awe that someone cared enough to take the time to do this for him.

It was a big collage of photos of them, some doodle or inscriptions between them. It was framed as if it was a professional photo, but this wasn't, it had the awkward domesticated care that no professional could ever achieve. The frame was painted with red paint and, in the right corner, it said a big 'Thank you', accompanied by a smiley face.

He took the time to read some of the inscriptions: 'Merry Christmas' '-Mr. Stark?      -I told you to call me Tony' 'Underoos, get off the ceiling' 'Mr. Stark, that's old people's music' 'Please, please, tell me you aren't bleeding out on an ally again' '-I told you I knew how to cook.   -I told you you were a liar'

He laughed, feeling a bit choked on feelings as he finally looked up at his kid. At Peter. The kid he'd trade his life for. The kid he saw as a son.

The kid's shy smile was all it took for Tony to wrap his arms around him tightly, Peter reciprocating just as tightly after a few stunned seconds- Tony wasn't usually the one to start physical contact-. 

Tony felt the smile of his kid against his shoulder as Peter pressed his face to it, relishing in the feeling of safety of being between his mentor's arms. Tony ceases his head with one hand as the other rubbed the kid's back.

"So... you like it?" Peter grinned when he pulled back.

"I love it, kid" Tony then remembered his last present "I've got for something more for you..." the man scratched his neck and avoided eye contact "It's not a lot, but... I guess it has emotional value or... or something like that, I don't know"

Peter chuckled lightly "I guess" the kid agreed because he felt like he should say something.

Tony gave him an awkwardly wrapped present, it was soft to the touch and of a really odd shape, but Peter didn't hesitate to tear off the envelope and see what it was: a gray-ish teddy bear, it looked somewhat old but at the same time new... it was pretty.

"I- Uh" Tony coughed "It was mine... I... My mom gave it to me when I was eight, I think... anyways, I still had it somewhere in the tower and... I figured you'd give it a better use than me"

Tony knew Peter was a smart kid, and adding that to the fact that he really knew Tony, the man knew the kid would knew how to read through lines the real meaning of that phrase: My mom gave it to me and I conserved it for so long, but now I want you to have it because, well, you are my kid.

"Thanks... I love it, thank you, Mr. Stark" Peter told him, sincerity in his tone and.

For a moment, when Peter pulled Tony into a gentle hug, Tony thought that maybe he did something right.

———

'From: Peter, Underoos  
To: Tony, Mr. Stark

Just wanted to thank you for everything you've done for me and for being in my life, you mean a lot to me (and maybe I don't mean a lot to you, but if you came to my house in Christmas, how bad can I be?)  
You've always helped me when I needed you the most, I'm grateful to have someone like you in my life.  
Sorry if the gift's lame.  
Merry Christmas, Mr. Stark.  
Peter.'

But squished between the last two lines, as if the kid had wrote it in the last moment, was one last thing Peter wanted to tell his mentor.

'Ps. I love you too'

That night Tony learned he shouldn't read Spiderling's notes at three am after seeing him falling asleep once again against his side... why? Because he might end up sobbing.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey!!! I really appreciate every time you leave kudos and comments, they make my day, so do it if you can!  
> If you liked it check my others Irondad works. Love ya<3


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